Where does “looseleaf” come from?

looseleaf (English) comes from English loose, from English lose, from German Nikolaus, from Latin Nīcolāus, from Ancient Greek Νικόλαος, from Ancient Greek λᾱός, from Proto-Hellenic lāwós, from Proto-Indo-European leh₂wos — to bark, howl; to be concealed.

looseleaf (English): Lined paper, usually collected in a binder;...

Definitions

  1. Lined paper, usually collected in a binder;...

Ancestry of “looseleaf”, step by step

looseleaf traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English loose

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlooseTo let loose, to free from restraints; To...
2EnglishloseTo cause to cease to be in one's possession or...
3GermanNikolausa representation of St. Nicholas; the day of 6th...
4LatinNīcolāus
5Ancient GreekΝικόλαοςNicolas
6Ancient Greekλᾱόςpeople; men; the people
7Proto-Helleniclāwóspeople, crowd
8Proto-Indo-Europeanleh₂wospeople
9Proto-Indo-Europeanleh₂-to bark, howl; to be concealed

via English leaf

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishleafThe usually green and flat organ that represents...
2Old EnglishLeofa
3Old Englishlēoflief, dear
4West Germanic*leub
5Proto-Germanicleubazdear, beloved
6Proto-Indo-Europeanlewbʰ-to desire, covet, want; to admire, praise; to...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanlēw-to sound, resound, sing out; to leave
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leh₂-
looseleaf — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer